The role of peace education in facilitating the peaceful coexistence of urban refugee children in a host community

Abstract

This study examined the challenges faced by urban refugee children in a host community, focusing on how peace education has helped them to cope with these challenges. The phenomenon of urban refugees in Uganda has been ignored in past years. Different scholars and research finding have revealed that refugees in Urban of Uganda are one of most neglected groups of citizens, and that it is even worse for t children. The study thus sought to identify the challenges of refugee children in an urban setting. Examine the nature of peace education as tool for peaceful coexistence and lastly to assess the impact peace education has had on urban refugee children living in a host community

An exploratory study was conducted from August 2009 to January 2010 among urban living the of Kampala district of Uganda. A qualitative approach was under taken, with snowball and purposive sampling techniques applied to select the sample population. Data was collected using interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation and documentary research.

The findings demonstrated that the urban refugee children do indeed face challenges in Kampala that are not known to refugee children in the rural settlements. All refugees related peace education peace programs have always targeted the refugee children of Sudanese nationals in the settlements in preparation for voluntary repatriation to their country of origin. The findings reveal further that urban refugees have without assistance developed peace education programs for the children, which have been pivotal in helping them to cope with the challenges faced in host community. Peace education specifically targeted at urban refugee children was important in enabling them to deal with traumatic experiences as well as with present challenges in order to embrace peace to coexist in a host community. Peace education play a fundamental role in facilitating and fostering the peaceful coexistence of any community, and members of the host community can greatly benefit if they become involved in such programs